Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-John McKee
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
JOHN McKEE one of the early homesteaders of Mulberry Township. Clay County, settled here in 1876, securing 160 acres of land on section 21. He labored in true pioneer style for a number of years, enduring the usual hardships and difficulties of life in an unsettled country in the absence of markets and railroads. By the exercise of great perseverance and industry, however, he prospered, bringing his first purchase to a good state of cultivation and adding ninety acres, on section 15, to his landed possessions. He also has 160 acres on section 22. All his land is in a productive condition and the homestead is embellished with neat and substantial buildings.
Mr. McKee states that when he came to Kansas he "was poor as a church mouse." He had emigrated hither from Warren County. Pa., where he had been engaged in the lumber business as a manufacturer for eight years. He had been successfully operating thus when he took a large contract with the Erie City Furnace Company and after a great amount of work had been done, the company failed ruining Mr. McKee also, financially. He then determined to seek his fortune in the West. Coming to Kansas he began again at the foot of the ladder.
A New Englander by birth and parentage, the native place of Mr. McKee was in Grand Isle County, Vt.. and the date of his birth Dec. 25, 1850. He traces his ancestry to Scotland and England. His father, William McKee, was born in the Scotch Highlands where he lived until reaching man's estate and then emigrated to America, settling in New York State. He was there married to Miss Mary Woods, who was born near the city of Manchester, England, and when a young woman came to the United States and found a home near the city of Schenectady, N. Y. After marriage William McKee and his wife settled down in New York State, but later removed to Vermont, whore Mr. McKee engaged as a cattle drover until within fifteen years of his death. He became well-to-do, acumulating a good property and spent his last years retired from active labor. He died in Grand Isle County, Vt., in March, 1862, at the age of sixty-eight years. He served in the War of 1812 and was a member of the Episcopal Church.
The mother of our subject survived her husband until March, 1873, dying in Grand Isle County, Vt., when past seventy years old. She likewise was a member of the Episcopal Church with which she became connected early in life and in which she was an active worker.
The subject of this sketch was next to the youngest child of his parents whose family consisted of three sons and four daughters. Two of the sons and all of the daughters lived to mature years and were married. The survivors are John, our subject. Elizabeth (Mrs. Thompson), and Mary (Mrs. Keel). The latter are residents of Canada and California, respectively. John was reared in his native State and before reaching his majority went, first to Canada and then to Warren County. Pa. He was first married in the latter State to Miss Emma Miller, who was born in New York State, but later removed to Pennsylvania with her father. "(C) 2004 Clay County AHGP" Her father was a successful farmer and both parents spent their last days in the Empire State, dying when ripe in years. Mrs. Emma McKee departed this life at her home in Mulberry Township, in January, 1880. at the early age of twenty-five years, leaving one child, Alice M., who makes her home with her father and is attending the public schools.
Mr. McKee was married a second time in Mulberry Township to Miss Naomi Rushton, a native of Brantford. Brant County, Province of Ontario, Canada, and born July 24, 1862. The parents of Mrs. McKee were William and Susan (Barnes) Rushton. who were born near Manchester, England and were of pure English ancestry. William Rushton upon crossing the Atlantic when a young man with his parents, settled in Canada. He was the son of George and Ann Rushton who are yet living on the old farm in Brant County and are now well advanced in years. William was married there to the mother of Mrs. McKee, who was likewise a native of England and who was quite young when she came to America with her parents. They located in the city of Rochester where they lived for some years, then removed to Woodstock, Canada, where John and Mary Barnes spent their last days and where their daughter, Susan was reared to womanhood.
Mr. Rushton after his marriage followed the trade of a blacksmith in Canada for some years and until 1887, when coming to the States they journeyed southwestward across the Mississippi to St. Joseph, Mo., where they are still living, Mr. Rushton being fifty-five years old and his wife a few years younger; both are members in good standing of the Baptist Church. Mrs. McKee spent her early years in Canada and Pennsylvania, and was a child of seven years when her parents came to Kansas. Of her union with our subject there have been born four children, namely, Maggie A., Lena, Gertrude and William. Mrs. McKee belongs to the Baptist Church, and Mr. McKee, politically, affiliates with the Democratic party. He has never sought office and beyond serving as Township Trustee has given his entire attention to his legitimate calling.